


Burn In My Skin

by louissmyles



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Because I can't write anything without some plot, Blame Harry and Louis for being so thirsty, Blow Jobs, Christmas Eve, Except there is a bit of plot, Frottage, Hand Jobs, It was going to be more but they got pretty impatient and didn't want to wait any longer to come, It's 7am forgive me for these tags, Like it's kind of bullshit how made for each other they are, Louis Tomlinson Loves Harry Styles, M/M, POV Louis, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, So it's like 1/4 plot and 3/4 sex, That's a very real tag and it very much applies here, This seems kind of angsty but I promise they're just really soulmate-y, Uh... I think that's all they do that is tag worthy?, don't blame me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-17
Packaged: 2018-04-26 18:51:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5016166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louissmyles/pseuds/louissmyles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As soon as the grocer’s small freezer section came into view, Louis felt his grip on the plastic handle of his shopping basket loosen. There in front of the two lone freezer doors stood a memory. Someone he swore to only be a ghost of his past, or an illusion brought on by the familiar song playing. Maybe even a hallucination of the night and Louis’ pounding head. </p><p>But as soon as the man turned and set his eyes to lock with Louis’, striking and green as ever, he knew there was no way this wasn’t real. He knew the feeling of security and of home he felt when he allowed himself to be gripped by those eyes, he had the feeling memorized. But that didn’t stop Louis from blinking a few times, just to be sure. </p><p>___<br/>Alternatively: Louis is alone on his birthday. Harry is alone on Christmas Eve. They end up remembering a lot more about each other than just how to keep warm when it snows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Burn In My Skin

**Author's Note:**

> Never too early in the year for Christmas sex, is it? 
> 
> The title (and the lyrics in the story) are from _Burn_ by Ray LaMontagne

The most trivial of items seem to always be the most necessary. Louis found this out at one am on Christmas Eve when he woke up in the middle of the night with a pounding headache and a flat void of pain killers. 

He tried to will himself back to sleep with the aid of a warm cup of tea, but his flat was conveniently located directly beside a night club and the throngs of drunken people mixing in with the overly loud and obnoxious whatever-was-popular song playing for them to dance to, made it impossible for Louis’ pounding head to let up. So he dragged himself out of bed and dressed himself slowly. Getting away from the noise couldn’t hurt. 

He walked to the 24-hour market on the corner of his street and pushed the door open, immediately grateful for the slow, melodic,  _quiet_ music replacing the outside world. 

“What are you doing out so late all by yourself on Christmas Eve, boy?” An older woman near the entrance eyed him suspiciously. Louis had to stop himself from lashing out at the poor woman. 

“Last minute shopping,” He lied, not wanting to explain to her that he was _usually_ all by himself on Christmas Eve. 

He wandered over to the pharmaceuticals aisle and began to run his fingers along the rows of various pill bottles and medication boxes he came in contact with. The hum of slow jazz playing in the background drifted off into a more familiar sound. Louis paused, smiled. The song a balm on his frayed nerves as he tuned into the words.

_But I'm still thinking 'bout you_  
_And I'm so lonesome without you_  
_And I can't get you out of my mind_

He shook his head as memories of dancing with a beautiful boy with green eyes, unaware of anything else happening around them, came flooding into his mind. He sang along softly under his breath as he traced the label of a large bottle of Ibuprofen before pulling it down from the shelf and tossing it into his basket. 

_Oh Mama, don't leave me alone_  
_With my soul shut down so tight_  
_Just like a stone cold tomb_

Milk. He needed milk too. Might as well get everything he needs so he doesn’t have to come back tomorrow. 

_Ain't it clear when I'm near you_  
_I'm just dying to hear you_  
_Calling my name one more time?_

As soon as the grocer’s small freezer section came into view, Louis felt his grip on the plastic handle of his shopping basket loosen. There in front of the two lone freezer doors stood a memory. 

_Oh, so don't pay no mind  
To my watering eyes_

Someone he swore to only be a ghost of his past, or an illusion brought on by the familiar song playing. Maybe even a hallucination of the night and Louis’ pounding head. 

But as soon as the man turned and set his eyes to lock with Louis’, striking and green as ever, he knew there was no way this wasn’t real. He knew the feeling of security and of _home_ he felt when he allowed himself to be gripped by those eyes, he had the feeling memorized. But that didn’t stop Louis from blinking a few times, just to be sure. 

_Must be something in the air that I'm breathing_

A beat passed. 

They held their eyes steady. Neither man ready to break the gaze or the illusion it created. As if moving a single muscle would make them both disappear into thin air or fade into the romanticism and the cliche of Christmas Eve. 

_Yes and I try to ignore_  
_All this blood on the floor_  
_It's just this heart on my sleeve that's bleeding_

“Hi.” It was Louis who spoke first, unsure. 

“Hi.” The other man returned, just as reluctantly. 

They both drew in a breath, laughing slightly at each other if only to alleviate some of the tension in the air. 

_Oh Mama, don't walk away_  
_You leave me here bereaving_  
_From the words so hard and plain_

“What are you...?” He left the question open ended. 

“Matches.” Harry answered. Louis nodded.

“Ibuprofen.” 

_Saying the love that we had  
Was just selfish and sad_

“Louis.” Harry took a careful step forward. “You-”

Louis smiled and looked away. “I’m sor-”

“Me too.” 

_Yes, but to see you now with him is just making me mad_

“Harry.” The word fell from his lips like a lyric, bitter yet still able to ignite an onslaught of emotions, of memories. Of skin on skin and safety and warmth and _forever_.

“Louis.” Harry repeated. 

Their eyes met again and conversation halted as they allowed the gravity of the situation to sink in.

“How have you been?” Harry asked.

“Getting by,” Louis shrugged. “You?” 

Harry laughed slightly, retreating his gaze to settle on something fixed just over Louis’ shoulder. He knew Louis could tell. Harry was the same person as he was in high school in that respect. When he felt uncomfortable, he avoided eye contact. 

“You could say that.” 

“But what would you say?” 

Harry inhaled sharply. “I wouldn’t.” 

_Oh so kiss him again  
_ _Just to prove to me that you can_

Louis nodded absently and glanced down at the contents of his basket. “Why were matches such a necessity on Christmas Eve?” He looked up again. 

Harry paused. “Matches... And eggnog.” 

“Party?” Louis was absolutely not fishing for information. 

“Of one.” 

Louis made a noncommittal noise but closed a bit more of the gap between the two of them. “Sounds riveting.” 

_I will stand here and burn in my skin_

Harry found his eyes again. “Do you have everything you need?” 

Louis stepped behind him and picked a half gallon of milk off the shelf and a half gallon of eggnog from beside it before handing the latter to Harry. “I do now. And you?”

“I do now.” They were inches apart by this point, Louis inhaled. Harry smelled differently than he did when Louis knew him years ago. Less like flowers and more like sunshine and clean linens. Harry smelled like summer in December. Louis wasn’t sure if he could justify the wave of disappointment that washed over him at not knowing if he would always smell this way.  

They walked over to check out in a silent agreement. As they totaled their items, the cashier eyed them before asking: “Is this your first Christmas as a couple?” 

Harry glanced at Louis and Louis felt himself flush. “Uh. We aren’t-”

“Oh, I just assumed... It’s nearly two am on Christmas Eve, most people would want to be with their loved ones tonight,” The man had the decency to look sheepish. 

Louis’ face soured. “You can’t always get what you want.” He threw a few notes onto the counter and took both his and Harry’s bags before exiting the store. Harry following quickly behind, the soft sounds of the market closing off behind them with a drowned out last lyric of a song they both once knew by heart. Planned to dance to until they couldn’t dance anymore. Planned to dance to forever. 

_Yes, I will stand here and burn in my skin_

“Are you okay?” Harry asked once he caught up with Louis.

“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s _Christmas Eve_.” He spat.

“Right... Well, I’m parked around back.” Harry said, awkwardly shuffling his feet in the small layer of snow that still covered the ground. 

Louis huffed, watching his breath fill the air in front of him. “I live just up the road.” 

Harry looked up from his feet with a dissatisfied smile. “Oh.” 

“I’ll walk you to your car?” Louis breathed out, his face softening. Always softening when he looked at Harry. Like even if Louis' mind forgot things about Harry, his heart could never. 

Harry nodded and they walked around the small gray building until they reached the dimly lit parking lot on the other side. Harry’s car was the only one parked in the small lot and as they came upon it, Harry stilled. 

“Uh... There’s really no reason to let a half a gallon of eggnog go to waste on Christmas Eve...” He said without looking back to see Louis. 

The corner of Louis’ lips twitched. “Perfectly good eggnog.” 

“And as long as I’m out here on this limb, I might as well add that the matches were for candles.” Harry chanced a look back at Louis. “My power is out.” 

Louis' heart leapt in his chest. He cleared his throat, “Mine is not.” 

There was another beat before Louis spoke again. 

“Your car won’t get towed if it stays here overnight, will it?” 

He wasn’t entirely sure, but it looked almost like there were grateful tears shining in the corners of Harry’s eyes. “I hope not.” 

“Then my flat is heated... And I have a couple of glasses we could potentially fill.” 

Harry smiled and inched closer hesitantly. “I’m going to hug you now, is that alright?” 

Louis just nodded and allowed Harry to step forward until they were pressed warm together, arms wrapping around the other tightly. They stood pressed together as the first flakes of a fresh snow began to fall.

Harry broke away. “It’s snowing,” He grinned, and Louis had missed how Harry would always say anything and everything that came to his mind, no matter how trivial or mundane anyone else would find it. Fuck, Louis was still so in love with him.  

“I’d sorta wished for fresh snow on Christmas morning,” Louis smiled, his face still close enough for Harry to feel their breath, hot and mingling against each others cheeks. 

“I’d wished for heat.” Harry's voice was warm and happy like maybe Louis could grant all of his wishes. Maybe he could. 

Their eyes locked again, the freezing air around them suddenly turning itself up a few degrees. Louis felt his skin prickle at the sudden contrast of temperature. 

“My flat-” 

Louis’ words were swallowed into Harry’s mouth as he closed the distance between them suddenly, pressing his lips against Louis’ in a searing, insistent kiss. Their mouths sealed together, selfishly keeping all of the heat of years of wanting each other between their lips, not allowing the sensation to spread to the rest of their rapidly numbing bodies. 

Harry’s hands flew to Louis’ hair and ran down to his cheeks, instantly warming them from the bitter chill in the air. Louis' head was spinning, he dropped both his and Harry’s grocery bags to the ground and covered Harry’s hands with his own before returning the kiss with as much intensity as he could. Everything that he had built up for years, released back into this moment. 

Harry pulled Louis closer in an attempt to keep the warmth close, but the bite of the air and the snow became suddenly very sobering and they broke apart, chests heaving and eyes blown black. 

“Your flat.” Harry panted against Louis' lips, already too cold and selfishly longing for the soft press of Harry's again. 

Louis nodded and took Harry’s hand in his as he dragged him up the road and to the steps of his apartment building, before he could even get his key out from his wallet, Harry was on him again, pressing himself into Louis’ back. He tried to focus on putting the card key into the appropriate slot, but found himself unable to accomplish simple tasks when Harry was this close, this warm, this real. 

He heard Harry’s voice, same as before, hot and gravelly in his ear, whisper: “Turn it over.” 

Louis felt his entire face heat up as he realized Harry meant the key was upside down. They stumbled their way inside the heated building and somehow made it all the way up the stairs to the lobby until they reached the dilemma of the elevator. 

Harry pressed the up button at least sixteen times before giving up and shoving Louis against the wall in between the building’s two elevator doors. He began to press hot open mouthed kisses sloppily along the underside of Louis’ jaw as he pressed himself harder into Louis and Louis harder into the wall. Louis felt himself groan but was honestly too far gone to care about the residents of his complex’s first floor. 

“Harry-”

The elevator made a very subtle _ding_ noise and Louis was pushed inside and against the railing of the elevator back wall. He groaned again and was helpless to do anything but let Harry have his way with him, all resolve crumbled and on the pavement of a parking lot along with both of their shopping bags. 

Louis gripped Harry’s hips, kneading the flesh there, memories of high school and the backseat of a very spacious car drowning his senses. Harry moaned and reattached their lips hungrily, needily over Louis’. Louis' possessive tendencies kicked in like no time had passed, like Harry was still his to claim, and he dragged his fingertips down the length of Harry’s arms until both of their hands were clasped together. With his new leverage, he turned them over quickly and brought Harry’s hands above his head to pin him to the elevator wall, diving back in for more of Harry's lips as soon as he could. 

The elevator doors creaked open and Harry whined, high pitched and so, so needy, as Louis pulled back, gripping his hands and pulling them both to his door. This key endeavor went much more smoothly, it was a normal lock and key and Louis had them inside with a practiced hand, seconds later, the door was locked and shut behind them and Harry was breathlessly asking “Bedroom?” into Louis’ lips again. 

They moved together into the bedroom slowly, ridding themselves of their winter clothes, Louis’ jacket thrown carelessly on the couch along with one of Harry’s gloves. Harry’s scarf thrown atop Louis’ until they found themselves in Louis' room panting and just _staring._

“I missed you,” Louis breathed like he couldn't help it. Like if he wasn't honest Harry would disappear as easily as he'd come. 

“Every day,” Harry’s eyes were earnest. His sincerity burned itself into Louis’ skin. 

Harry pulled Louis towards him again and began working on the buttons of his shirt, nimbly undoing each one within seconds before pushing it onto the floor. Louis gripped the bottom of Harry’s and pulled it over his head slowly, drinking in every new inch of skin he revealed like he was desperate for it. They both stopped, stared, the moonlight pouring in from the window making the slight sheen of sweat now coating both of their chests shine. Louis reclaimed his grip of Harry’s hips and pulled their chests together, desperate to be touching him again. The sudden skin to skin contact made them both gasp and, _fuck_ , Louis absolutely could not keep his mouth off of Harry’s collarbone for another second. The moan he earned from Harry was ridiculously enticing and made every inch of him feel 18 again. Louis hummed against the reddened skin and ran his hands through Harry’s hair. Longer than Louis had ever seen it, but of course Harry looked perfect like this. Harry always looked perfect to Louis. 

“Bed,” Harry panted out. “ _Please_.”

Louis smiled and pulled his mouth from Harry’s chest to lick up his neck until he met Harry’s lips again, this time running his tongue over his bottom lip slightly, tentatively asking for entrance. They stumbled backwards as their mouths relearned each other, hot and wet, and Louis pushed his hips forward just enough to--

“Louis...” Harry broke off and let his head fall back. “Please, fuck-- _oh_ \--I want...”

Louis pulled away to spread a hand completely over the center of Harry’s chest. Louis grinned up at Harry before pushing him until he fell backwards onto the bed, pulling Louis down with him. Louis wrapped an arm around Harry’s back and lifted them up until they reached the headboard and could stretch out completely, pressed as close together as possible. Louis ran his hands down Harry’s sides, noting the way it still made him shiver. 

“No one has had any idea what to do with me since I lost you, Lou. _No one._ ” And  _fuck,_ that shouldn't make Louis as hard as it does, but the thought of Harry missing him like this... Missing him _at all_ , is almost too much. 

Louis stilled his hands around Harry’s waist, gripping the belt there and unfastening it along with his jeans, pushing them down as he planted kisses along his throat, his chest, his abdomen. 

“ _Good_ ,” Louis growled into the skin of Harry’s stomach, enjoying the way the muscles there tensed against his sparking lips. Harry was like fire and Louis couldn’t help but want to be destroyed. 

He made his way all the way down the bed until he was met with the task of pulling more of Harry’s clothes off, leaving him in only his pants. Louis paused, taking in a sharp breath as he allowed himself to feel the soft skin of Harry’s thighs. 

Harry whined and gripped Louis’ sheets beside him, twisting his fingers into the fabric, permanently leaving his memory in the muted gray so that Louis would never be able to forget this exact terrifying, beautiful moment. Louis nuzzled his nose into the slight dip of Harry’s stomach and licked a slow path along the top of the elastic of his pants before tentatively gripping the waistband and peeling them off as painfully slowly as he could manage until they joined all of Harry’s other clothes, scattered amongst Louis’ on the floor like they were made to mix and never be separated back out again. 

Louis ran his hands over both of Harry’s thighs again, gripped them until he finally settled himself in between the spread of his legs. He glanced up to see that Harry had his eyes screwed shut and his lips parted in anticipation. Louis smirked and danced his fingers back up over the pale flesh of his inner thighs before trailing the same pattern with his tongue. 

“Louis, _I swear to God,_ it has been too fucking long for you to act like this,” Harry ground out. “Don’t pretend you don’t want this as much as--” Louis ran his open mouth in a wet trail from his thigh over to the base of Harry’s cock suddenly, blowing cool air over the heated skin. Harry gasped, arching his back as several more _'oh fuck, please, Louis’_ left his open mouth before Louis brought one hand up to scrape his blunt fingernails over the sensitive skin of Harry’s ribs. 

Harry was wrecked. So wrecked and so obviously, completely, achingly desperate in front of him. _For_ _him_. His breathing had become erratic and his hands were lost in the gray of the sheets, twisted so tightly Louis was sure they would be permanently wrinkled in a perfect mould of Harry's body, strung out just for him. 

“Top drawer,” Louis said breathlessly, too busy staring to think of moving away himself. 

Harry lifted a shaking hand from his side and yanked open the night stand, reaching blindly inside, only half aware of what he was searching for. Once his hand clasped itself around a small bottle, he deemed his mission a success and threw the tiny bottle onto the bed beside him. Louis busied himself with stripping off the rest of his clothes quickly and climbed back towards Harry. He ignored the small bottle thrown to Harry’s thigh and gripped the base of Harry's cock instead, angling it towards himself before moving his head forward and taking him into his mouth, wrapping his lips around the head and sinking down as slowly as possible. As slowly as he remembers Harry loving it. 

“God, you are _still_ such a fucking _tease_ ,” Harry groaned. “More, Lou. _Please, more._ ” 

And Louis, who could honestly never resist when Harry begged, took as much of Harry in as he could until his lips met the top of his hand. Louis lost himself in the feeling of Harry, hard and warm and smooth and familiar all at once, testing to see if the pressure that used to have Harry clawing at Louis’ back when they were teenagers had changed after all these years (it hadn't). 

When Harry’s hands came down to bury themselves in Louis’ hair, he knew exactly what to do. He sucked in harder and allowed Harry to pull his hair until the suction of Louis’ lips was fighting against the pull of Harry’s fingers. Harry groaned out again, breathlessly, brokenly, beautifully. Louis sunk back down and felt Harry’s grip go slack. He knew _exactly_ what that meant too, like he was falling back into a routine they had performed countless times. They moved perfectly together, effortlessly in sync, as if no time had passed since the last time they’d done this together. 

Louis moved his hand from the base and began to knead the flesh of Harry’s hip as he set a faster pace, allowing his tongue to flatten over the underside of Harry’s cock with each upward movement of his head while Harry was making these tiny little whimpering noises in the back of his throat. Louis couldn’t find it in himself to feel anything but lucky.

Harry brought one hand up to his mouth and bit down on his knuckles and as if they had rehearsed it, Louis immediately knew this meant he had to stop. Harry was too close and Louis was definitely not done with him yet. He pulled his mouth off and sucked lightly at the beading pre-come on the head until he pulled his body back up to kiss Harry properly. 

Harry moaned low in his chest, at the hot slide of Louis’ tongue and the taste of himself, thrusting his hips up to meet Louis' thigh sloppily. Louis let Harry suck his tongue into his mouth while he blindly grabbed for the abandoned bottle of lube now laying next to Harry’s hip and opened it in one swift motion, coating his fingers as quickly as he could. 

Harry protested as Louis pulled his mouth away, but found his voice a moment later, “No time. _So close._ Just...” Harry wrapped his fingers around Louis’ wrist, bringing their slick hands together, messy and a touch demanding. 

Louis understood the urgency though because, _oh god,_ if he didn’t get some kind of relief soon _..._  Harry was just so lovely and everything about this felt exactly like coming home and Louis hadn't even known how much he'd needed it--

He watched as Harry finally guided their hands down between their bodies, pulling them together until their cocks were clasped firmly in their joined hands. Louis set a slow, careful pace, their palms sliding slick and hot until they were both thoroughly coated. He let go of Harry’s hand to run his own hand up from the base of their cocks to the center of Harry’s chest, leaving behind the excess lube to mix in with the sweat covering his entire body. 

Harry caught Louis’ eyes before bringing his hands up to his chest to rub the mixture over his nipples, keeping Louis frozen in place. Harry had always had this power over Louis. This magnetism. Louis isn’t surprised even the tiniest bit that this too, hasn’t changed. Louis bit his lip as he watched Harry’s head fell back onto the mattress, long neck on beautiful display as he ran his hands up his own body and into his hair. 

“ _Fuck_ , Harry.” Louis gripped his wrists and pinned them to the mattress above Harry’s head, holding him down under the weight of Louis’ body. “You _know_ what that does to me... You touching yourself like that.” Louis bent down to bite at the hollow of Harry's neck. 

As if asked to, Harry immediately turned his head to the side completely baring his throat for Louis to lick from his collarbone up to that spot just behind his ear, before settling there and sucking until Harry was marked as his again. He lowered himself down completely onto Harry’s body and pressed himself against his slippery chest, sliding easily, sealing their bodies together, capturing all of their body heat between them as if they were still outside in the snow and needed the warmth to stay alive. Louis continued to suck small marks into the expanse of skin on Harry’s neck as he held his hands above his head, rocking their hips together in a desperate, delicious rhythm. 

Louis moaned against Harry’s throat, the friction of sliding together in this wonderfully familiar way making him feel too much and not enough all at once. He nipped at each mark he had left as their movements grew sloppier. Harry’s hands roamed Louis’ back in an attempt to find a place to grip onto, eventually settling for digging into the flesh of Louis’ lower back and raking his nails up the length of his spine until he was twining his fingers into Louis’ and arching his back off of the bed in a way that made it even harder for Louis to breathe. 

“Close, _fuck_ , Lou. I’m so close,” He whined with his eyes shut, bending his knees to push his hips up faster, closer, _more more more_. 

“M’close too.” Louis mumbled against Harry’s overheated skin, still soothing his tongue over the marks he’d left on Harry’s neck and collarbone.

Louis felt Harry’s hands tighten in his hair again, Louis couldn’t help the smile on his lips as he pushed his mouth hot against Harry’s ear to growl low and demanding, “come on, love. Come for me, baby,” and that was it. 

Harry’s toes curled into the sheets and his back arched even more, sliding his chest against Louis’ as he came between them. Louis watched as Harry lost himself to it, undone in a way he had seen so many times before, and like so many times before, that was enough for him too, Harry gasped out Louis’ name and Louis was helpless to do anything but shake apart and come between them like he was a too in love high schooler again. 

Louis collapsed on top of Harry’s still slick body and allowed himself to rise and fall with the panting of Harry’s chest too tired to move on his own. 

They laid there for what seemed like hours before Harry pushed Louis to the side and stood up causing a white hot spark of terror to flare up in Louis’ chest, he inhaled sharply as he looked up at Harry’s face. 

“Bathroom?” Harry smiled shyly and Louis almost cried in relief. Stupid, naive relief. He pointed to a door on the opposite end of the room and Harry padded off until he disappeared from view. Louis couldn’t breathe until Harry returned a moment later with a warm washcloth to wipe the mess off of Louis’ stomach carefully, attentively. Harry smiled down at him softly and set the washcloth aside before pausing and biting his lip nervously. 

Louis couldn't believe he had ever let himself spend a minute without him in his whole life. He was so beautiful, so brave, so perfectly Harry that no one could ever have measured up in Louis' mind. Fuck, he was ruined forever and he didn't even care. 

Louis held his arms open wide, his eyes half closed and heavy lidded, before he could over think it, “C’mere.” Harry raised an eyebrow. “Said you wanted heat for Christmas, didn't you?” Harry smiled, nodding. “Well you always used to say my arms were the warmest place in the whole world, so,” (Louis would later blame how tired he was for letting that slip out.) 

Harry blushed and looked back down at Louis again before sinking onto the bed beside him, whispering, “Okay.” 

Louis wrapped Harry up in his arms and pulled him tight to his chest. Louis hoped Harry was still the little spoon, despite how much sturdier Harry was now, broader in every way. Harry settled back against his chest like he belonged there. Maybe he did. 

Just as Louis was beginning to drift off, he heard Harry speak. “Lou?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Happy Birthday,” he said softly. 

Louis smiled and pulled Harry in closer to him, nuzzling his nose into the back of his neck. “Stay,” he whispered, so quiet he was equal parts terrified Harry might not have heard him and that maybe he did.  

Harry beamed and turned in Louis’ arms, his eyes sparkling brighter than the whole city, even in the low light. “Stay the night?” 

Louis hummed and before he could tell himself what a bad idea it probably was to say it, breathed out, “Stay forever.” 

Louis was just awake enough to hear Harry whisper, “Yes, of course, _always,_ ” into his skin before they both fell asleep.


End file.
